"How on earth can Paul affirm that God does what He forbids others to do; that He does what He says He will Himself never do; that He does it habitually and that He even designates Himself, 'the God who justifies the wicked' or (we might say) "who righteous's the unrighteous"? It is preposterous! How can the righteous God act unrighteously and so overthrow the moral order, turning it upside down? It is unbelievable! Or rather it would be, if it were not for the Cross of Christ. Without the Cross, the justification of the unjust would be unjustified, immoral and therefore impossible. The only reason God "justifies the wicked" (Romans 4:5) is that "Christ died for the wicked" (Romans 5:6). Because He shed His blood in a sacrifical death for us sinners, God is able to justify the unjust".John R W Stott - "BST Series - The Message of Romans" - IVP, Leicester (1994) - (p112-3).
Some Christians find the message of grace (gospel of grace) hard to digest...i think John puts it perfectly here. Jesus justifies the wicked by what He DID on the cross (not by what they do or don't do)...and he continues that justification on the part of the believer, still by what He DID on the cross (not by what they do or don't do)...the ony thing needed is faith and still thats His faith that He gives us!
ITS ALL OF GRACE...(even if we don't believe it)
What yous think?
4 comments:
You always have the best quotes! You are broadening my must read list. Thank you.:)
Oooh Craig, let it flows... Grace and faith can only start flowing when we see the loveliness of our Lord Jesus Christ...
Hey Ry...thanks for that...dig your blog too bro....Heb 9:10..."UNTIL THE TIME OF THE NEW ORDER"...my goodness, we are in the new order (grace), never to return to shadows (law)!!!!!! Keep preaching freedom in the grace of Christ....
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